A Hufflepuff Welcome
by Milly the Dragon
Summary: The first week of first year is always hectic for Hogwarts students. Over the week, each house has an official welcome for their new students. The sly Slytherins have a high tea. The logical Ravenclaws have a Q&A session. The brash Gryffindors hold a celebration. The loyal, dependable Hufflepuffs meet at night, and tell ghost stories.


_Alternative title: Hufflepuffs Remember, a Hogwarts Ghost story._

The first week of the year is always hectic for first year students.

While other students spend time catching up with friends, Firsties have to get used to an entire school, find classes, find the library, and they frequently get lost.

Over the course of the week, each house has an official welcome for their new students. Lunch of the second day at Hogwarts (they get back too late on the first) the sly Slytherins have a high tea, filled with politics and planning. The logical Ravenclaws, that evening, have a question and answer session, followed by an initial allocation of study groups (to be revised as need). In Gryffindor, at the end of the first week, they hold a celebration, with food and drinks and games. While the loyal, dependable Hufflepuffs? They meet on the first night, and tell ghost stories.

One of the upper years, sixth or seventh, pulls the old, enchanted book down from the mantelpiece. An enchanted book to keep the truth, and only the truth, within its pages. To ensure that while rumor and legend may allow others to forget, that the Hufflepuffs will know, that _someone_ will remember.

They talk of four dear founders, and of classes no longer taught. They tell of eccentric Ravenclaw's experimental potions, and of gentle Hufflepuff's kitchen charms. Of the treaties Slytherin created with merfolk and centaurs, and of courageous Gryffindor's work in astronomy.

They tell of how the four shared the subjects to be taught. Of how they each picked a space to build into the walls. Of the Charms mistress Helga, who designed the kitchens. Of the magizoologist Slytherin and the lake he hid his largest pet in. Of Gryffindor's work to build a defensible Astronomy Tower, and of Ravenclaw's giant potions lab in her Potion Tower.

They tell the tale of the Ravenclaw and Slytherin ghosts, of a Baron and a Lady whose love was crossed by stars. They tell of why Sir Nicholas is called Nearly Headless Nick, of how the Friar saved the lives of twelve travelers to his hamlet.

This time a sixth year takes the book and stands before the fire.  
He flips the pages open, and calls to those who gather.

"Now gather 'round firsties, and listen all with care.  
The tale of Rowena's _second _tower you all should be aware.  
For potions is a tricky subject, not one easily taught,  
And if the lab goes up in smoke it will all have been for naught.

"Halfway between now and then, between Snape and Ravenclaw  
Potions was taught by a Teach' you all would adore.  
For teaching, it is said, he'd always had a knack,  
But as the man got older he would often have a nap  
While classes were in session he left notes upon the black  
And, we know not why, assumed no student would ever snap.  
This, of course, was not the case, and in one first year class  
A pupil forgot to stir their pepper-up with glass.  
A small mistake, but deadly if using viper scales, not asp.

"Of course, he messed the scales up too, and when the prof' awoke  
The room was filling roof to floor with thick, turbulent smoke.  
Over desks and chairs he dived, intent to save the brew,  
Not realising that as he dived one drop turned into two.  
The boom of the resultant clash rebounded far and wide  
But when others turned to where it had been none believed their eyes.  
The tower in the corner, best for a potion brew  
Was turned to dust faster than an owl could call t-woo.

"Potions is now held in the dungeon, in a room designed, they say,  
To hold a raging dragon when the werewolves come to play.  
But that poor class of third years? Only two survived  
While the third became a poltergeist and kept his childish side.  
So if Peeves gives you trouble, just mention potions class  
And quickly list the reasons that we store potions in glass.

"The other houses all forget these stories, this is true  
But Hufflepuffs are loyal, compassion is what we do.  
So listen up, and keep secret the stories of our school  
Others seek to win through war, but we already rule.  
Quiet and cautious we may be, but renowned far and wide  
For we remember how to keep the castle on our side.

"So always listen, Puffs, with care, to Snape's ol' potion rules.  
He may seem mean but fourteen years he has taught at this school,  
And not once has he lost a class, a table or a student.  
Just remember: do the reading, focus and be prudent,  
Listen to all teacher's warnings, pay attention in class,  
And when mixing pepper-up ensure your stirring rod is glass."


End file.
